BGE customer woes demonstrate need for new approach to energy

The Sun reported much public outrage following a massive power supply catastrophe last week in which Baltimore Gas & Electric cut the air conditioning of 350,000 martyrs in the company's conservation program ("BGE to review PeakRewards program," July 25). These customers roasted in their homes for up to nine hours in 108-degree heat so BGE could meet the overwhelming energy demand with its overwhelmed grid.

What happened that day was disastrous and should serve as a message to our leaders in the General Assembly that the time has come to upgrade our energy system to deal with the challenges posed by climate change.

The disaster revealed that BGE's power supply is not just unreliable: it's unsustainable. Julys are only going to get hotter in the coming years thanks to climate change, and power companies need to be able to handle the growing power demands of customers with energy-devouring central air systems.

If we want reliable and sustainable energy with which to combat intensifying summer heat, we must push Annapolis to invest in new and better energy sources. Clean sources of energy like offshore wind power are essential components of a movement to reduce fossil fuel use and slow the trend of global warming to which these record breaking heat waves are clearly linked. Because it's a local source, it can also reduce the number of supply incidents caused by a constricted and overloaded grid like the one BGE faced.

It's time for our leaders in Annapolis to enact long-term, smart solutions like offshore wind to keep us Marylanders cool.

Sebastian Medina-Tayac, Takoma Park

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